


Not Every Superhero Group Has To Hate Each Other

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men Evolution
Genre: Charles Being Concerned, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Charles Xavier is a Sweetheart, Fluff, Hurt Tony Stark, Non-Sexual Age Play, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-15 01:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15402396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tony probably should have realised that, being in the presence of a telepath, his thoughts would almost certainly be overheard. Even so, he'd never expect said telepath to give him the break he so desperately needed from his own mind...





	Not Every Superhero Group Has To Hate Each Other

Tony Stark had never minded helping the x-men out. Whilst unusual, they had been known to assist in fights with each others' various enemies, and were on relatively good terms - today's help, though, was on a (thankfully) smaller scale. The x-men's famous training room - known among the kids as the 'Danger Room', Tony would never not find that funny - needed a few repairs and possibly an upgrade or two. Tony, keen to get out of the tower and away from a team who were bitter and angry at him all the time, had been quick to agree to help. Walking into the school, he had thought, was almost like stepping into another world at this point, it was actually kind of strange to walk past at least 20 people in a hallway and not have a single one glare or roll their eyes or mutter something under their breath at the sight of him. Granted, of course, at least 17 of those people were kids, but it was nice even so. And then there were the adults... Tony had a theory that, because the adults were so used to taking care of teenagers and young children all day, they sometimes just forgot to switch back to 'adult mode' when talking to other adults. It was the only explanation he had for why Logan always ruffled his hair as he marched past, why Dr McCoy worried after him if he looked too thin, why Ororo called him 'dear' and brought to mind Mrs Kanga from the old Winnie the Pooh books that Edwin Jarvis used to read to him... As far as anyone could tell, Tony brushed aside these odd occurrences and politely acted like they hadn't happened to save any embarrassment. The x-men didn't need to know how much Tony thought about their gentle care sometimes, how he'd once or twice contemplated making an excuse to come visit when he'd felt his mind grow fuzzy and uncooperative and tired in that certain way... He'd never dared to, of course. In fact, when his mind felt like that, it was all the more reason to stay away so no-one accidentally found out - if the x-men ended up hating all of the Avengers because Tony had done something weird around them, no-one would forgive him for it, himself included. So that day, just like every time he visits, he stuffs down the happiness he feels at each little gesture of affection and allows his brain only to think of wires and coding and new simulations; in other words, only what's necessary. Even so, it feels like his other thoughts are shouting at him in the back of his mind, trying to make themselves heard over the relentless stream of technical nonsense that Tony can't help clinging so hard to. If he had glanced up, he would have seen Charles' concern evident on his face, noticed the hand that would reach out slightly every now and again before pulling away, deciding to wait... Charles is nice enough to wait until Tony is finished with the task at hand, knowing that leaving something like this unfinished would only have irritated and bothered him. When everything is finally finished, though, he's quick to invite Tony up to his study to 'catch up' for a little while. Tony figures that anything that'll keep him out of the tower for a little longer can only be a good thing, and follows without a second thought. The professor's study is warm and cheerful, books and pictures of his students littered everywhere, paperwork spilling across the desk and even stacked onto some of the comfy couches and chairs. Tony can't quite put into words why he finds it so comforting that the study is messy and imperfect... Until pictures of Steve and Natasha's military-precision clean rooms fill his mind, SHIELD's spotless labs and medical bays, and suddenly he thinks he understands the comfort of being in a room that actually looks lived-in. Charles lets him take it all in, gently ushering him inside and shifting himself out of his wheelchair and into a soft armchair with practised ease. Tony flops down onto a couch next to the desk - which, he suddenly notices, has a plate of cookies and a few glasses of milk stacked precariously on top of the paperwork. He can't bring himself to ask, but Charles catches him staring anyway. "Sorry about the mess, I was talking with some of my students earlier and I find it helps if I provide snacks. You're welcome to take a biscuit if you'd like" The older man smiles, and Tony reaches to grab one without thinking. The use of the word 'biscuit' instead of 'cookie' does not go unnoticed, and it only serves to make his other thoughts louder, pulling at memories he'd usually try to hide. Edwin Jarvis was a traditional British butler, and for as long as he had cared for the Stark family, he had always used British terms for things, so much so that Tony had had to consciously learn to use the words others used when he started at school, so as to avoid being teased. Even now, hearing someone use words like 'biscuit' instead of 'cookie', or 'nappy' instead of 'diaper', could leave him feeling very small and vulnerable out of nowhere. Tony nibbles at the biscuit quietly and tries not to look as shy as he suddenly feels. "Tony..." The professor looks serious now, and Tony swears his heart would have stopped right then and there if it wasn't for the arc reactor, because serious faces mean he's in trouble, they mean anger, oh god he's messed something up... He isn't expecting the gentle hand on his shoulder that grounds him back to the present. "Shh, it's alright, dear, I'm not angry, you're ok..." With the professor's soft voice to focus on, he quickly calms back down, but before he has time to be embarrassed about his sudden panic, Charles speaks again. "Tony, I'm very sorry about this, but I'm afraid I heard some of your thoughts while you were working - I promise I wasn't attempting to pry, though, some of your thoughts were simply projecting..." "...What's that mean?" Tony asks before he can work himself into another anxiety attack over this news. "Quite simply, it means you were thinking loudly enough about something that it was impossible to block out - imagine trying not to listen to someone who's standing beside you with a megaphone, it's a little like that..." Despite everything, Tony giggles at the silly mental image that provides, and is relieved when he sees the professor smile too. Charles doesn't look angry, maybe he didn't hear the other thoughts, maybe he only heard the tech stuff Tony was focusing on, maybe his secret is safe... But as the other man's face falls back to serious, Tony knows that isn't the case. "Tony... How have you been lately? Your thoughts made it sound as though something was causing you a lot of stress..." "I'm fine, professor, don't worry! And anyway, I won't bore you with everything that's been going on, it's nothing interesting!" In other words, he can't bear to look up from spilling his guts again and find he's bored another person to sleep with his anxieties and trauma - thanks for that one, Bruce. He has a feeling Charles might have heard that thought too, as his face falls further into what Tony's starting to recognise as worry rather than annoyance, but he doesn't mention it. "I understand if you don't wish to talk, dear, but I must admit I'm worried about you. From what I've seen in the newspapers, you've been going through an awful lot lately, and I'd like to help if I may..." Charles' voice is gentle and soothing and too much, and Tony does the stupidest thing he can think of: he explodes. "Why?! Why would you wanna help the man responsible for creating ULTRON, the man who almost got the world destroyed by a crazy robot, the one who's only good for his money?!" Tony can feel the tears running down his cheeks as he shouts, and he knows he's completely blown it now, the x-men will never talk to any of them again... But the professor just keeps finding new ways to surprise him. Out of nowhere, he's pulled into Charles' lap, and everything feels so intensely overwhelming and it's already so broken that he can't bring himself to do anything except curl into the affection like a needy child and sob properly until he lets everything out. He registers a hand rubbing at his back, another running through his hair, and if he wasn't mid-meltdown he'd be in absolute heaven from all the affection right now... Charles patiently waits until the harsh sobs have died down to quiet sniffles and hiccups. "Because Ultron was more than just your fault, there were a lot more people involved in it than only you. Because you made a mistake while frightened and traumatised after someone had been inside your head and hurt you. Because even setting aside the money, you're a genius philanthropist who is devoted to protecting the world, and yet still finds time to come fix up our training room whenever we ask. You are a lot more than what the world has labelled you, Tony, and I hope I can show you that someday..." Tony is rendered speechless by the soft words, unable to believe any of them and yet somehow knowing that this truly is what Charles believes, that the man holding him would not lie about this. The last of his grown-up thoughts leave his mind, until all that's left is a frightened little boy too tired to put on his adult mask. Thankfully, the professor is prepared for even this. His eyes and face are dabbed at with a soft handkerchief until the tears are mostly gone, then a glass is pressed to his lips but not placed in his hands. He knows that someone else holding the glass for him is only serving to make him smaller, but right now he couldn't be more ok with that, and drinks obediently. He hasn't drank milk on its own since he was 5 years old, but when another biscuit is handed to him, he stops thinking about that and focuses on the yummy taste and feeling of complete safety. He finishes the biscuit quickly, but only gets halfway through the glass of milk before he pulls away from it with a squeak when his bladder protests suddenly. It's not exactly coming out of nowhere, he knows, he hasn't gone pee since he woke up that morning and it's now late in the afternoon, but it's so easy for little boys to just forget about these things when they get caught up in something. Charles is slightly alarmed when Tony yanks away from the drink, for a moment thinking the poor boy had started to choke, but as he puts the glass down he spots Tony's hand darting between his legs, hears the all-too-familiar whimper of a child in discomfort, and immediately adjusts accordingly. Tony feels them both moving, although he is never removed from the professor's lap, and after barely a minute he finds they're in a bathroom now. Before he can react by himself, the professor is pulling his pants down and sitting him on the toilet, as though he's still too little to know how to go pee standing up - which he very much is right now, he knows. He lets go as soon as he's sitting, and his eyes close in utter relief as the yucky pressure melts away. He can't see if the professor's looking or not, but somehow he knows the man has turned his back politely to give him privacy - even very little boys deserve that much, Edwin Jarvis had always said. This man is a lot like his old Jarvis, Tony thinks. He's kind and uses different words and takes care of Tony in a way his father had never bothered to and his mother had never been able to... When he finally finishes his pee - and it takes a while, he'd been holding in a lot! - he gets a pleasant "good boy!" from the professor, and is taken to wash his hands. His Jarvis would have given him a sticker for making it in time, but he's not sure the professor has any, and he doesn't want to be a greedy little boy and ask. The man teaches him how to blow bubbles through his fingers using the hand soap instead, and Tony decides that's just as good. He's placed back on the professor's lap for the trip back to his study without him even needing to ask, and this time he can really enjoy getting to cuddle in now that all the icky feelings are gone. The bathroom is attached to the study, it turns out, which is a relief since it means they don't have to go out into the corridors and risk anyone seeing him like this... But it's also curious. Tony's very little, but even he knows that a study is an odd place to have a bathroom! He doesn't ask the question out loud, but he knows this time that the professor hears it in his head, he was thinking about it very loudly in his curiosity. "Well, little one, you may have noticed that I'm not all that fast in my wheelchair, yes?" Tony doesn't want to be mean, but he nods in agreement - the professor is just slightly slower than most peoples' average walking speed, his brain supplies. "Well, if I happen to get caught short, I can't really afford to be too far from a bathroom since I can't run there if I need to. So I had a few smaller bathrooms built into or near the rooms that I'm often in, and my study is where I spend a lot of my day..." Tony's young brain finds the idea of a big grown-up having an accident rather strange, but when he opens his mouth to say so, all that comes out is a yawn. He's been staying up late a lot recently to avoid nightmares, but it always comes back to haunt him during the day... "I think it's naptime, don't you, sweetheart?" The professor smiles. Tony notices that he waits for him to nod in agreement before moving them both to the couch, and he appreciates that more than he knows how to say. The professor sits him on the floor for a moment as he spreads himself out across one of the couches, then pulls the little boy up until he's lying on his stomach, head pillowed on his chest perfectly. Tony can listen to the professor's heartbeat like this, and the steady sound combined with the blanket being draped over them both is more than enough to coax him down into a peaceful sleep, no nightmares anywhere to be seen. Charles sends out a telepathic request to the others that they don't disturb him for a few hours, then wraps his arms around little Tony, holding him as he sleeps. Charles loved nothing more than having someone to take care of and love, it's why he did what he did with the school. He truly hoped that Tony would do this again with him in the future, allow himself the simple treatment he needs to feel happy for once. Regardless, though, he'd be telepathically checking in on Tony and his team a LOT more in the future...


End file.
